The embodiments of the present invention relate to navigating a graphical user interface (GUI) with a keyboard. GUIs provide a user with an intuitive method of interacting with computing devices. GUIs present graphical representations of objects, as “icons,” which can be directly manipulated by the user to perform computing operations. Computing operations can be performed within the GUI by manipulating icons presented on a two dimensional display device using some sort of pointing device. As such, GUIs can reduce or replace the need for text based commands when interacting with the computing device.
Another method of GUI interaction entails the use of touch screen displays. Touch screen displays allow direct physical manipulation, by the user, of icons presented by the GUI. Touch screen displays can detect user contact with the surface of the display. The geographical location of the user contact with the touch screen display can be determined by the system. Accordingly, users can directly manipulate icons displayed upon the touch screen display without the use of a pointing device.
Accessible computing refers to the accessibility of a computing system to all types of users. This accessibility is especially important to users with physical or cognitive disabilities such as paralysis, hearing or visual impairments, dyslexia, autism, and the like. GUIs, pointing devices, and touch screen displays are a few of the computing innovations that seek to provide greater flexibility to users when interacting with computing devices. In this manner, innovations such as GUIs, pointing devices, and touch screen displays can increase user accessibility to computing devices.